Here lies Similis;
In the seventieth year of his age
But only the seventh of his Life.
This story is related by Dion Cassius; and from him told by Spizelius in his Infelix Literarius; p. 167.
Lorenzo and his sisters returned with me to the Cabinet. A gloom was visible upon all our countenances; and the Ladies confessed that the company and conversation of my departed guests, especially of Lysander, were such as to leave a void which could not easily be supplied. For my part, from some little warmth each sister betrayed in balancing the solid instruction of Lysander and the humorous vivacity of Lisardo, against each other, I thought the former had made a powerful impression upon the mind of Belinda, and the latter upon that of Almansa: for when the probability of a speedy revisit from both of them was mentioned the sisters betrayed unusual marks of sensibility; and upon Lorenzo's frankly confessing, though in a playful mood, that such brothers-in-law would make him "as happy as the day was long"—they both turned their faces towards the garden, and appeared as awkward as it was possible for well-bred ladies to appear.
It was in vain that I turned to my library and opened a large paper, illustrated, copy of Daulby's Catalogue of Rembrandt's Prints, or Mr. Miller's new edition of the Memoirs of Count Grammont, or even the Roman de la Rose, printed by Galliot du Pré, upon vellum.... Nothing produced a kind look or a gracious word from them. Silence, sorrow, and indifference, succeeded to loquacity, joy, and enthusiasm. I clearly perceived that some other symptom, wholly different from any thing connected with the Bibliomania, had taken possession of their gentle minds.
But what has a Bibliographical Romance to do with Love
and Marriage? Reader Adieu!—When thou hast nothing
better deserving of perusal before thee, take up these
pages; and class the author of them, if thou wilt,
with the Bostons, or Smiths, or Norths, of
"other times;" with those who have never
wished to disturb the peaceful haunts
of intellectual retirement; and whose
estate, moreover, like Joseph
Scaliger's, lies chiefly
under his
hat.
[p. 57]. To the list of useful bibliographical works, published about the period here designated, I might have added the Lexicon Literarium of Theophilus Georgius; cum Suppl. ad an. 1750. Leips. 1742-50, folio; two thick and closely printed volumes, with an excellent chronological arrangement. It is not common in this country.
[p. 69]. The Abbé Rive was also the author of—1. Notice d'un Roman d'Artus Comte de Bretagne: Paris, 1779, 4to. pp. 20. 2. Etrennes aux Joueurs de cartes, ou Eclaircissemens historiques et critiques sur l'invention des cartes à jouer; Paris, 1780, 12mo. pp. 43. These works are slightly commended in the "Advertissement" to the Vallière Catalogue, 1783, pp. xxv-vj. They are reviewed by a rival author.